


"Nobody quite knew what to make of the moon any more.”

by notjustmom



Series: Tom Robbins Remix [12]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: After the Return, Established Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, M/M, angsty fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-13 16:01:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14115882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom





	"Nobody quite knew what to make of the moon any more.”

John knew what Sherlock had suffered through his fingertips. He didn't ask for details; afraid Sherlock wouldn't tell him, and terrified he would. Instead, he simply undressed the shivering man who stood before him and whispered. "We'll burn them."

"It's July, John." Sherlock managed a slight grin as he waited for John to meet his eyes. 

"It doesn't matter. We'll burn everything." He dropped the tattered clothing in a pile, sighing as he tucked his head under Sherlock's chin  
and closed his eyes as he ran his hands lightly over new terrain, trembling at each sharp intake of breath, and knew Sherlock should have been in hospital, but he couldn't bear to be parted from him, not yet, not so soon. "Selfish. Me. Not you - I - I should take you to hospital -"

Sherlock pressed his cheek against John's hair and closed his eyes. "No. You can patch me up, can't you? It would take a bit of explaining, considering they have paper work for me on file... I am supposed to be -"

"Don't say it." John laid a trembling finger on Sherlock's cracked lips and shook his head. "You aren't - weren't. You're home now." He finally raised his eyes to look into Sherlock's and bit his lip at the dark circles, and the new lines, that crinkled at him when he smiled. "How are you, Bee? I mean, I - do you want to eat, or I can run us a bath, you'll want to have a washing, I can help you do that, or make you some toast, we'll go slow, whatever you want, tea, you'll want your tea - or maybe something stronger - I - finally opened up the good stuff tonight - I was beginning -"

Sherlock slipped his fingers under the edge of John's t shirt, bringing John's string of words to an abrupt halt, and sighed to himself as he felt how much weight John had lost, but said nothing. He stepped back just enough to remove John's shirt, then pushed his pants off, letting them slide to the floor. "Sherl -" Sherlock shook his head and pulled John tightly against him, telling him without words exactly what he needed most. He closed his eyes as he felt John tremble against him. "Bee. You're really here."

"Yes, Bumble. Now, can we just - will you - please? Then you can fuss over me all you want. I just need you to -"

John nodded into his chest, then took a breath and threaded their fingers together, glancing up at him one more time before leading him to bed.

 

"When was the last time you slept?" John mumbled into Sherlock's freshly washed hair.

"On the train coming back - before then, I don't remember." Sherlock groaned as he tried to move to look at John.

"Bee?"

"No - I'm - I forgot - I'm a mess."

"No, you're beautiful."

"John -"

"Bee. You don't know - I had nightmares - damn - you don't want to hear this."

"I do, John. I want to hear it all, Bumble, my heart - do you know what it meant to me to know you were here, waiting for me? There were moments when I wondered if it would have been better to have let you think I was dead - in case - in case I didn't make it back - and then you could have started over - had a family, a life. But when I saw you standing at the window tonight - heard you talking to Billy, and to me, without knowing I was there - that you were still here even as you weren't sure - you stayed for me."

"There is no where else I could be, Sherlock. I don't want a life that doesn't have you in it. There is no life for me without you. Don't you know that? I have been dead without you these last months. Every day I got dressed, and had tea and toast and went to the surgery, and maybe for a pint and a match, and I would come home and you wouldn't be here, and I made myself go to bed. And kept doing it, even - even when - I thought - I just wanted to be with you, Sherlock. Promise me, just promise me you won't leave me again, next time, if there is a next time, you will take me with you."

Sherlock pressed a kiss over John's heart and after a moment, nodded. "I promise, Bumble."


End file.
